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Appy Pie: Insights from Founder Abhinav Girdhar

This Clutch interview was conducted with Abhinav Girdhar, the founder of Appy Pie. The purpose of this interview is to offer prospective partners of AppyPie a descriptive and firsthand view into the capabilities of Appy Pie.

Clutch: Can you provide a well-rounded overview of the Appy Pie software?

Abhinav Girdhar: We here at Appy Pie have a lot of experience in website development and search engine marketing. Around 2011 or 2012, we started talking to people who wanted to create an app but didn’t have a huge budget to create a full-fledged app. We had the idea to create a software as a service where people could actually create apps on a DIY platform. We put together a small team and got to work.

We are now rated as one of the top do-it-yourself app solutions by pretty much anyone that you ask in the industry. We are one of the few solutions that support app development on four platforms: Blackberry, iPhone, Windows and Android. Most of the other DIY app solutions are limited to Android and iPhone. We have also partnered with Amazon, as one of their first partners in the DIY app development space. They will be mentioning AppyPie on their development platform as a solution for those users who want to create an app for the Amazon Kindle, the Kindle Fire or the Amazon Fire Phone. That’s very exciting for us here at Appy Pie!

Clutch: What sets Appy Pie apart from the other do-it-yourself app solutions?

Abhinav Girdhar: What makes Appy Pie so special is the technology behind our platform. The complete Appy Pie architecture is a hybrid architecture and the best part of the platform is that everything is completely automated. Our users build it and then, in five minutes, they get the app delivered to their phone and can test it. Best of all, they don’t have to resubmit their app each time they make an update. That automation really sets us apart from the other app builders out there.

Beyond that, we have an unparalleled level of service. We have phone call support and chat support. The support team is always available and had a deep understanding of the technology. We are very, very responsive. Most of our competitors do not offer this level of support.

Clutch: Can you dive into the pricing plans you offer and what is included?

Abhinav Girdhar: We have multiple price offerings. There is actually a free plan in which a customer can develop a free Android app. Our ads will be on their app for that particular plan because it is free of cost. We have another plan which is $7 per month where a person can build an app for Android without our ads. The full plan that we are offering is $19 per month if you pay annually or $25 monthly on which we cover both Android and iPhone. There are unlimited push notifications on that plan. There is also the Platinum plan which is $35 per month annually and $40 per month paid monthly. The Platinum plan is where we cover all five of the platforms. Along with that, we give them unlimited push notifications and app analytics. We don’t charge for publishing for Platinum level subscribers. It’s all included in all of our pay plans. In that sense, there are no hidden costs.

Clutch: What are the available channels if a user would like to monetize their app?

Abhinav Girdhar: If they want to monetize their app, they can use our ad network. We have a lot of great relationships, all of which our clients can take advantage of. We have partnered with multiple ad networks around the world and our clients have access to those. Users can also utilize the Google ad map or iOS.

Clutch: Appy Pie has recently ventured into mobile gaming. Can you tell me a little more about those functionalities?

Abhinav Girdhar: We have now launched a full Gaming platform with in-app purchases, advertising and leader board technology. We are having a great deal of success, it’s a complete platform where people just need to change the images and the artistry and develop their own games.

Clutch: What level of experience does a person need to have with coding to create an app or a game?

Abhinav Girdhar: None. Appy Pie is a complete drag-and-drop, DIY, software. Users just need to be able to drag and drop using simple, user-friendly tools. With no coding experience, they are able to create nice apps that are great-looking with some amazing features.

Clutch: Who would you describe as the target audience for Appy Pie?

We are working with a wide range of people from a wide range of backgrounds. These range from radio DJs and restaurant apps to churches and doctors. They use their apps for table reservation services, food ordering, appointments, sermons and more. Our target is small businesses.

Clutch: Are there certain tools for more experienced developers? Can users integrate content like videos or news feeds?

Abhinav Girdhar: Yes! We have that. The point is, at the moment, we do not have an Enterprise-level platform so we are working primarily with small businesses. However, our clients can integrate YouTube, Facebook, Gmail, theircamera, a newsfeed using RSS, and even add audio from the cloud. They can do it all. It’s all there. Pretty much any feature you can think of, can be added to an app with Appy Pie.

Clutch: When would you say Appy Pie is not the right solution for a potential customer?

Abhinav Girdhar: If someone is looking for a fully customized app, then we’re not for them. We are not for large businesses looking for enterprise-level features. However, we will likely work toward Enterprise offerings in the future. Our focus is on small businesses at the moment and we are doing revolutionary things that we are really proud of and excited about.

Clutch: Thanks for your time and insights.

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